The present invention relates to a wireline toolstring connector for connecting a number of tools together when they are inserted into a well bore.
In oil drilling and other well operations, a wireline is used for raising and lowering tools into the well bore. Specifically, this is achieved by attaching a toolstring to the end of a reel of a single strand or braided wire. By reeling out the wire, the toolstring may be lowered to the desired location within the well. Various tools for gathering data and the like may be attached together to form a toolstring for placement within the well bore.
In applications of this type, the connector at each end of the wireline tool, which form the toolstring to be placed within the well bore, is subject to tension, compression and torque forces within the well, and thus must be of a construction that will not disconnect from each other under these conditions. In addition, however, it is desirable to have a connector that may readily disconnect from each other upon removal thereof from the well bore for reuse.
The present invention provides a wireline tool connector that achieves both of these objects in providing resistance to separating forces in combination with ease of manual disconnection upon removal of the connector from the well bore to permit it to be reused in a subsequent application.
The invention relates to a breech lock wireline toolstring connector for connecting tools to a wireline inserted into a well bore. The connector has a housing with an axially movable plunger and an axially movable breech pin in the housing and in axial alignment. Spring means are used for biasing the plunger axially toward and into engagement with the breech pin. The breech pin has means for selectively engaging and disengaging into lock and unlock positions, respectively, with the plunger and with the housing. Means are provided on the breech pin for rotating the plunger axially between the lock and unlock positions. Further provided, are latching means for latching the plunger and breech pin in the lock position.
The means for rotating the breech may include a tang on the plunger adapted for selective engagement in the slot in the breech pin.
The latching means may include a slot in the plunger adapted to engage a pin upon rotation of the breech pin to the lock position.
The latching means may further include detent means between the housing and the plunger.